The acts of the flesh are obvious: … hatred, discord …
Summary: Paul points us to two ends of the same stick. On one end is a match and on the other a raging fire. If we can put out the match, the raging fire an be avoided.
As Paul continues his list of the “acts of the flesh,” we see an obvious pairing, hatred and discord. It is hard to imagine discord without hatred. People can disagree, but where there is love (agapé love), there is no discord.
Hatred, according to Strong’s Concordance, is “a reason for opposition.” Hatred is also associated with strong emotion. Without love, hating leads to a desire to hurt. Hurt leads to a desire for revenge, and revenge can lead to war.
A very famous feud in American history involved two families, the Hatfields and McCoys.* The feud started when one of the McCoys was murdered on his way home after the Civil War. He had been the only one of either clan to fight on the side of the Union Army. The murder was attributed to the Hatfields, and this spawned a feud between the two families that lasted for generations. It resulted in many deaths and much suffering over many years.
There is a reason Jesus equates anger with murder (Matthew 5:21-26).
What would Paul have us do instead?
The spirit of the flesh is not who we are. Scripture says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit … “ (Hebrews 4:12). The spirit of the flesh is the part that wants to hate anyone or anything that opposes its will. Somehow, the soul is divided from the spirit by the Word of God. When that happens, we discover we have a choice.
We can choose not to hate.
If we choose not to hate, we can also choose to want the best for our enemy. Ironically, by honoring God and loving our enemy, we “heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you” (Proverbs 25:22).
In 2 Kings, Chapter 6, we find a story that illustrates this point. When a neighboring king sent his army to destroy Israel, the prophet Elisha called on God to strike the army blind (2 Kings 6:18). He led them into the heart of the very city they had intended to destroy. When the king of Israel asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them?” (2 Kings 6:21), Elisha replies:
“‘Do not kill them,’ he answered. ‘Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.’” (2 Kings 6:22).
The king of Israel obeyed the word of the prophet and provided a feast for his enemies. When he had fed them, he gave them a greater gift and set them free. By obeying God and ending the hate, the king ended the discord. We can do the same.
Application: As my Dad used to say, “Kill them with kindness.”
Food for Thought: How do we recognize hatred in ourselves?
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatfield%E2%80%93McCoy_feud
How do we recognize hatred in ourselves?
First, by evaluating our thoughts. Sometimes it’s quite obvious that I’m letting my emotions I’d reactionary instinct to run loose. Just listening to what my thoughts are literally saying can shock me.
Second, what is the theme of our thoughts and actions involving a person. This can help reveal two things: idolization and hatred.
If you only think good things to the point of attributing no flaws to a person, you think too highly of them.
If you never think of something good about a person, you probably hate them. Every person should have at least one quality you can respect or appreciate, take the effort to notice it. In fact you should learn enough good that you care about their general well being (like safety for a fellow human being…. okay that’s falling short of the ‘love your enemy’ thing), even if you do not like their actions.
A —
I like your comment because I am hearing you encourage us to be realistic about the people we live with. Realism and agapé love are not opposites. They actually go hand in hand. Well said!
How do we recognize hatred in ourselves?
Hatred is a very self-righteous emotion. It ignores any culpability on our part and focuses on the faults of others to a point of striking out at them in our thoughts. Once we entertain it in our thoughts, it takes root in our hearts and will usually manifest itself to some extent in our actions and speech. Hate grows very quickly. A good indicator that one is heading down the road of hate is recognizing that they are bundling past perceived trespasses with present circumstances, and projecting future actions.
I battle with hatred. I spent many years submerged in it. It still gets me sometimes. My sister and I have talked about it, because we both have it, and we have collectively defined it as “I will burn this place to the ground.” I have come to recognize that initial feeling of rise in my chest, and when I do I have to stop thinking about it and submit it to Christ. I find it best to ask Him “why does this present thing bother me so much?” He helps me separate the past from the present.
James 1:19-21 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Chris,
You make a great point: Hatred is essentially self-destructive (“I will burn this place to the ground.”) I also agree with your point that it is a self-righteous emotion. Perhaps another way of saying that is that anger lacks self-awareness.
When we submit to Christ, as you suggest, we might start seeing ourselves as God sees us. Being self-aware of our own shortcomings can make us more tolerant of others.
How do we recognize hatred in ourselves?
At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit sets believers free from the controlling power of our sin nature and to the degree we submit to His power over our lives, provides His own power of righteousness to us.
John 16:8-11, When the Holy Spirit comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in Me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
At the moment of our salvation through Jesus Christ, we have received the capacity for sinless living, but still retain the power to sin. This means each believer, has two warring capacities within our heart, which can be the source of great frustrations as we each live our individual, unique path of maturity through Christ.
Romans 6, Romans 7:15, Romans 12:9
After 47 years of wrestling with my nature and submitting to God’s will in all things. I continue to require and call on God’s strength to hate the sin but love the sinner as my human self continues to see degrees of sin, even when I know there is only one unpardonable sin, Matthew 12:31-32
I believe the righteousness of God has created in me a deep hatred for evil and the great damage it is doing to the growing number of people around us today.
Over time I have become very familiar with the voice of the Holy Spirit and will often find myself willingly responding before I am actually aware He is speaking to me.
Thank you, Ron!
Your reference to Romans 7:15 sums this up well:
“ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
We are constantly encouraged by our own nature to cling to the cross of Christ in abject humility.